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Actions Help FAQs Can't find what you're looking for? Browse Collections A-Z University of London	Billy Strachan papers Remove from selection Add to selection Request this item TitleBilly Strachan papers Held atInstitute of Commonwealth Studies Reference codeICS158 Datec1935-c1999 Creator Strachan, William Arthur Watkin [Billy] (1921-1998) air force officer, legal administrator, political activistMore Info on CreatorLess Info on Creator Billy Strachan was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He arrived in England in March 1940 and joined the Royal Air Force. He became an air gunner and then a flight lieutenant. He returned briefly to Jamaica and then came back to England in 1947. He was a member of the Communist Party and the secretary of the London branch of the Caribbean Labour Congress. He founded and edited a monthly journal, Caribbean News. He left the Communist Party in 1967 but continued to take a great interest in the politics and history of the West Indies. He remained a close friend of Cheddi and Janet Jagan of the People's Progressive Party of Guyana. Scope and ContentIncludes subject files on the Caribbean Labour Congress, Liberation (Movement for Colonial Freedom), Jamaica - political and economic, Trinidad and Tobago; West Indies Federation; British Guiana (Guyana); racism and discrimination, Race Relations Board, strikes and the labour movement in the West Indies, West Indies Committee of the Communist Party (CPGB). Topics also include socialist parties in the West Indies, anti-colonialism, independence movements within the Caribbean. Correspondents include Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Michael Manley, Richard Hart. Conditions governing accessOpen for research although at least 48 hours notice is required (off-site storage). Access to individual files might also be restricted under the Freedom of Information Act. See archivist for details. Extent40 boxes (including 6 over-sized) System of ArrangementArrangement follows Billy Strachan's own arrangement of his papers. Finding aidsCatalogued to file level. A pdf version of this catalogue is attached to this description. Related files File-level catalogue Link to description of interview held at the Imperial War Museum Link to National Archives file description (reference CO 1031/14) The Library also holds the Richard Hart archives (ICS122), the Ralph Millner archives (ICS165) and West Indian political parties' publications including for Jamaica (PP.JM), Trinidad and Tobago (PP.TR), Guyana (PP.GY), and Barbados (PP.BB). The Imperial War Museum holds an oral interview with Billy Strachan. The National Archives also holds at least one file on Billy Strachan, reference CO 1031/14. Level of descriptionfonds Hierarchy browser contains 135 parts Billy Strachan papers ICS158 \| c1935-c1999 fonds

TitleBilly Strachan papers

Held atInstitute of Commonwealth Studies

Reference codeICS158

Datec1935-c1999

Creator
- Strachan, William Arthur Watkin [Billy] (1921-1998) air force officer, legal administrator, political activistMore Info on CreatorLess Info on Creator
  Billy Strachan was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He arrived in England in March 1940 and joined the Royal Air Force. He became an air gunner and then a flight lieutenant. He returned briefly to Jamaica and then came back to England in 1947. He was a member of the Communist Party and the secretary of the London branch of the Caribbean Labour Congress. He founded and edited a monthly journal, Caribbean News. He left the Communist Party in 1967 but continued to take a great interest in the politics and history of the West Indies. He remained a close friend of Cheddi and Janet Jagan of the People's Progressive Party of Guyana.

Scope and ContentIncludes subject files on the Caribbean Labour Congress, Liberation (Movement for Colonial Freedom), Jamaica - political and economic, Trinidad and Tobago; West Indies Federation; British Guiana (Guyana); racism and discrimination, Race Relations Board, strikes and the labour movement in the West Indies, West Indies Committee of the Communist Party (CPGB). Topics also include socialist parties in the West Indies, anti-colonialism, independence movements within the Caribbean. Correspondents include Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Michael Manley, Richard Hart.

Conditions governing accessOpen for research although at least 48 hours notice is required (off-site storage). Access to individual files might also be restricted under the Freedom of Information Act. See archivist for details.

Extent40 boxes (including 6 over-sized)

System of ArrangementArrangement follows Billy Strachan's own arrangement of his papers.

Finding aidsCatalogued to file level. A pdf version of this catalogue is attached to this description.

Related files

The Library also holds the Richard Hart archives (ICS122), the Ralph Millner archives (ICS165) and West Indian political parties' publications including for Jamaica (PP.JM), Trinidad and Tobago (PP.TR), Guyana (PP.GY), and Barbados (PP.BB). The Imperial War Museum holds an oral interview with Billy Strachan. The National Archives also holds at least one file on Billy Strachan, reference CO 1031/14.

Level of descriptionfonds

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